


Coffee to go

by Ghelik



Series: The 100 Fics [31]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Character, Blind Date, F/M, First Dates, Mentions of Raven Reyes, Minor Background Relationships, mainly bellarke, my headcanon is that murphy's life sucks no matter what universe he's in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-05 21:30:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11021961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghelik/pseuds/Ghelik
Summary: Of course, this is all Bellamy’s fault, because that man can’t stay out of other people’s businesses. And, of course, when Bellamy has a stupid plan, the entire group has to get involved.





	Coffee to go

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a Twitter prompt by lovely @Luisasource: 
> 
> "#MEMORIAU Both Emori and Murphy enjoying a coffee together."
> 
> hope you enjoy it. ^^

The café is crowded and noisy and Murphy’s already regretting letting his so-called friends talk him into coming here. He wanders to the counter and asks for a cinnamon latte with whipped cream only because it’s the most expensive thing on the menu and Bellamy said he would pay for it. This is all Bellamy’s fault because that man can’t stay out of other people’s businesses. And, of course, when Bellamy has a stupid plan, the entire group has to get involved.

 

He picks one of the few empty tables in the farthest, darkest corner of the room and settles on the chair with his back against the wall. From here he can see every table, watch everyone. Murphy isn’t a fan of people watching. He isn’t a fan of people, period. People always try to fuck him over. The only reason he has a group of so-called friends is that there are two people he trusts: Bellamy Blake and Raven Reyes.

 

Bellamy, he met when he enlisted at age eighteen after what he calls the _Jaha-incident,_  also known as the “Leave it alone or I’ll kick your ass” topic. Bellamy saved his life and taught him how to survive, took a bullet for him. Not that it really prevented their enemies from shooting Murphy, leaving him with a bad limp and unable to fight anymore. But it's the thought that counts, or something.

 

Raven and he grew up together in the foster home when Murphy’s mom was declared insane and unfit to care for her child. They aren't friends really, more like siblings. Have gone through some shit together, betrayed each other, scarring one another for life: him being indirectly responsible for her having to wear a brace on her leg; her for unintentionally starting the “ _Jaha incident_ ”. But at the end of the day, they care for the other. Deeply.

 

The rest of the group are collateral, something he needs to tolerate as they seem to be attached to the two people he actually can’t let go of.

And thus, since that group is formed mainly of meddling people, he’s now sitting in a café. Waiting for his ‘blind date’. Murphy is determined to hate the girl. Mainly because Valentine’s day is in three days and his ridiculous friends think he shouldn’t be single for it. Murphy is happy to prove them wrong every chance he gets.

 

A young woman enters the café, wanders slowly to the counter and makes her order. The barista hands her a cup and the woman looks around before starting towards him. Murphy watches her approach unblinkingly because he knows that unsettles people.

 

She has slanted eyes, golden skin, thick dark hair that falls across her back in waves. She’s dressed in worn jeans, combat boots, a long-sleeved shirt and an honest-to-god underbust corset. Who the hell uses underbust corsages over their clothes? It nearly is enough to have him missing the thick formless glove on her right hand. She’s slim and petite and everything he finds beautiful in a woman. Stupid friends and their stupid knowing him.

 

“You’re John Murphy” it doesn’t sound like a question, but she waits until he’s nodded to take the seat across from him and offer her left hand.

 

“You must be Mrs. Emori?” he shakes her hand: it’s calloused and covered in tiny scars.

 

“Emori is just fine”, she smiles and it takes him aback: it’s a blinding smile, showing off white teeth and crinkling of the eyes included. She rests her hand by her cup and for an awkward moment, they just sit there, chancing nervous side-glances at each other. “So… You’re friends with Raven?” she asks tentatively after a moment.

 

Murphy nods tightly. “Grew up together.”

 

“So she said.” She swallows thickly and, despite himself, Murphy’s curious to know what else Raven said. And why is a woman like her going on blind dates with the likes of him? “You’re a soldier?”

 

“Not anymore.”

 

“Good.”

 

He feels himself bristle. Murphy doesn’t consider himself a patriot, but it bothers him when people start preaching about how being a soldier is bad and the whole anti-war discourse. Yes, war sucks, but it was an escape that probably saved his life. People should stop judging.

 

“Why?”

 

Emori plays with the handle of her cup. “It’s difficult enough meeting new people, nowadays. Don’t need the few friends I make going to die abroad.” She offers a cheeky smile and he finds himself chuckling.

 

“I’m sure you’ve tons of friends,” he says, because she’s beautiful and, if she’s friends with Raven, that means she’s smart, too.

 

Her snort is unladylike, rough and sudden like he’s taken her by surprise. “I am sure you do, too.”

 

“People don’t like me. I’m sort of an asshole.”

 

“I could be an asshole, too.”

 

“Is that why you’re on a blind date?”

 

“Raven’s friend thinks you and I would make a cute pair. I had nothing better to do.”

 

“Which one of Raven’s friends.”

 

“The blond one with the paint-splattered clothes.”

 

Murphy shakes his head. Of course, it would be Bellamy’s girlfriend the one who got the idea and mobilized Bellamy and Raven to make her bidding. “That would be Clarke.”

 

Emori sips her coffee when she sets the mug down she has a foam-mustache and he finds himself smirking. It shouldn’t be endearing, but it somehow is. “Yes. What about you? Do you go on a lot of blind dates?”

 

“No. As I said, I am an asshole. People don’t try to pin their friends on me.”

 

“Aw, man. And here I thought Raven appreciated me.”

 

“Nope,” he smiles, popping the P for maximum cheekiness, “she probably wants to send you packing back to where you came from.”

 

“Bummer.” Emori dabs at her lip with the corner of a paper napkin. “Guess I’ll just have to put up with you for a while and then go give Raven a piece of my mind.”

 

“You should totally do that. How long is this while we’re talking about?”

 

She hums, her brown eyes skipping off to the side of his head. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to finish my latte so that I don't seem too rude. I don’t want you to feel bad.”

 

“I’ll feel bad if I haven’t scared you off before you finish it.”

 

Emori perks up at that. “Oh! Is that a challenge?”

 

Murphy narrows his eyes at her. “You want me to scare you off?”

 

“I’d love to see you try.”

 

Murphy finds himself grinning at her. He settles back into his chair, making himself comfortable and sips his late. “You’ve asked for it.”

 

He tries being rude, but she just laughs and keeps coaxing smiles and startled truths out of him. She’s brass and funny and intelligent. She’s also willing to offer personal stories of her own in exchange to his, which isn’t entirely a first for Murphy, but people tend to disengage when they start to glimpse on how fucked up his life has been until now. Not Emori, though. She takes it in, doesn’t push when she notices the subject is touchy and doesn’t try and give him life-advice. They click their mugs in a toast to how awful and disgusting people are – present company excluded. And he means it.

 

He genuinely likes Emori. Which means he will put his foot in his mouth and she’ll take offense and he will ruin everything. Murphy is a fucking expert at ruining beautiful things.

 

“So, what’s the deal with the glove?” he asks without thinking and automatically wishes to take the words back. Emori startles, looks down at her gloved hand. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

 

“No… It’s…” she isn’t looking at him and Murphy feels like a dick but can’t think of anything to say to make it better. “I guess better now than when…” she shakes her head. Closes her eyes and pulls the glove off. Her hand lies on the table: pale and deformed and… it looks pretty cool. Not beautiful. In fact, it's ugly as hell, but still. 

 

He stares at it and then his hand goes over the table and he finds himself running the pads of his fingers lightly over the back of hers. She jumps nearly a foot in the air and Murphy jerks his hand back so quickly he topples his now empty mug on the table.

 

“Sorry. I shouldn’t…” he clears his throat, looking up at her. “Not cool touching other people without asking. Sorry.” Emori’s head is still bowed, she wraps her hand back up in the ugly glove.

 

“You can go if you want,” she whispers, her eyes fixed on a spot on the tabletop next to the sugar. Murphy has to fight the urge to pull his legs against his chest. 

 

“So the hand is usually the deal-breaker?”

 

Emori raises her eyes to him and he shrugs. “For me, it’s usually my _orientation_.” He grimaces at that. “Sends people running for the hills. The whole ‘I’ll call you’ and vanish off the face of the earth.” He forces a smile on his face, but it feels like a grimace. “For what’s worth I think your hand looks pretty badass.”

 

“Liar.”

 

“Not this time.”

 

They lapse into silence for a moment, Emori playing with the edge of her glove and him looking past her at the café. They’ve been talking for so long it’s dark outside and most of the tables are empty. There are only a few students furiously typing at their laptops or engrossed in their books. A couple sitting by the huge windows is furiously making out.

 

“Now I am curious,” Emori says after a moment and he feels his mouth running dry. He really likes this girl, really doesn’t want her doing a disappearing act on him. Or worse, doing an “Ontari” and trying to cure him.

 

His voice is so soft he isn’t sure she hears him, but he forces himself to look her in the face as he says it. Emori hums.

 

“So is it completely off the table?” she asks after a moment. “Or can it be negotiated in the future?”

 

Murphy stares at her feeling his jaw hit the floor and he may be in love with her already. “I…”

 

She furrows her nose, a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth. “Or we could wait and see where this goes? I may not like you long enough for it to be an issue.”

 

“Come on. You find me endearing.” He teases her and he feels their relationship shifting, clacking into place and this might have been the quickest friendship he’s ever made. Which will probably end up biting him in the ass, as the Universe tends to do. But, for the moment he doesn’t mind. Emori seems worth the risk.

 

Not many people are.

 

“So. It’s getting late.” The girl smiles at him and Murphy feels a spike of fear, his mind supplying him with an unhelpful ‘ _told you so’_ because that’s usually the last he hears from people he’s had an interest in. Emori seems oblivious to his inner turmoil and continues. “Want to grab something fancy to eat?” she produces a credit card custom decorated with a monkey holding a wrench. “Raven’s paying.”

 

Murphy isn’t sure he’s smiled so much or so brightly since he was eight years old. As he steps out of the café with Emori standing close by his side, he’s pretty sure he’ll continue smiling until the day he dies.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was unbetad, as always. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and commenting ^^


End file.
